Trump names America's 'election villains': Why China, Russia and Iran back in the spotlight
Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has renewed his claims about vulnerabilities in America's election system, announcing an FBI investigation into alleged Chinese interference in the 2020 presidential election and warning that several foreign adversaries have the capability to target US election infrastructure.
Speaking during a primetime address on election integrity, Trump said newly declassified intelligence documents showed that China had carried out "the largest compromise of election data in history" and alleged that previous administrations concealed critical information from the public.
Trump orders FBI investigation into alleged Chinese interference
During his address, Trump claimed that China illegally obtained data belonging to millions of American voters and directed federal agencies to investigate.
He said: "Over a period of years, starting during the 2020 election cycle, the People's Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China's illicit acquisition of 220 million US voter files."
Trump added: "I am asking the Directorate of National Intelligence, FBI to investigate China."
He described the alleged breach as: "An unprecedented election security nightmare."
Claims about foreign threats to US elections
Trump also cited newly declassified intelligence assessments, claiming that several countries possess the capability to compromise American election infrastructure.
According to Trump: "US adversaries, including at a minimum Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, as well as non-state groups, have the capability to compromise US election infrastructure."
He argued that centralised voter registration databases, electronic poll books and election websites remain vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Trump further claimed: "Americans were blatantly lied to about the security of our election infrastructure, including electronic voting machines and ballot-counting systems. They are vulnerable, and they are easily compromised."
Venezuela also mentioned in declassified records
Trump said the newly released documents also contain CIA intelligence alleging that Venezuela's government planned to digitally manipulate its own 2020 presidential election.
He described the issue as: "A cyber threat aimed at the very heart of our democracy."
CIA Director John Ratcliffe later said the agency would release additional declassified documents related to foreign election interference.
Ratcliffe stated: "Protecting our democracy and the integrity of our elections from foreign influence and interference remains paramount."
Previous intelligence findings differ
Trump's latest allegations contrast with earlier findings by US intelligence agencies.
Following the 2020 election, US intelligence agencies assessed that while foreign countries sought to influence public opinion through cyber operations and propaganda, they found no credible evidence that election infrastructure or vote counting systems were manipulated to alter the election outcome.
The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security previously concluded: "The Departments found that those claims were not credible."
Former Attorney General William Barr, who served during Trump's first administration, also said in 2020 that investigators had found no evidence of widespread voter fraud capable of changing the election result.
An Associated Press review of alleged voter fraud cases in six battleground states identified fewer than 475 potential cases—far below the margin needed to affect the outcome.
China rejects Trump's allegations
China has denied the accusations. Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Chang told Reuters: "China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the US."
Trump has continued to dispute the outcome of the 2020 election, despite more than 60 legal challenges filed by him and his allies failing to establish evidence that widespread fraud changed the election result.